May 21, 2006, Muir

The big cool-off was quite evident.  The car thermo. read 42 at 8:15.  The approx 11,000 ft. ceiling lowered to 9,500 as we climbed and the last bit was in wind and moderate snow.  When we stepped out of the nice new hut, it was still snowing and blowing with about a half inch of fresh blown in and around the subtle surface valleys and ridges.  Fortunately we dropped out of the thick brew a few hundred feet below Muir.  The powder was still good for another thou or so, covering 50-100% of the surface, alternating with thin, plate-like surface ice that was also perfectly fine.  New for me we descended the ridge between the Paradise glacier and the main Muir snowfield , not too steep but a nice direct fall line, and connected to Pan Point.  Then Edith Creek to the big U in the road E of the lodge.  The snow stayed good in there with half-pipe features and gulleys.  There was 4-10 feet of snow at the road.